Host Christi Scarrow is joined by Tracy Nolan, Senior Vice President at Humana and Board Member at Dress for Success, who discusses her leadership journey, emphasizing the importance of understanding individual motivations and respecting different career goals. She highlights the value of listening and asking questions to foster understanding. Nolan shares a story about a goose that illustrates how you might be missing what truly matters to people. She also stresses the significance of providing and receiving feedback, noting that tough conversations are crucial for growth. Nolan advises leaders to balance their time between doing, managing, and leading, and to have regular check-ins with their teams for better performance and development.

Action Items

-Reflect on where you are spending your time as a leader - doing, managing, or leading.

-Allow time to truly listen to, hear and act upon employee concerns, especially during times of change.

-Schedule regular 1-on-1 check-ins with your team members, even if you don't have specific agenda items.

-Seek out feedback, including 360-degree feedback, to identify areas for your own personal growth and development.

Outline

Early Career Lessons and Initial Leadership Challenges

-Tracy shares an early career lesson from her time in retail, emphasizing the importance of understanding different motivations within a team.

-Tracy recounts a story about pre-judging a colleague's work ethic, learning that not everyone has the same career ambitions.

-Christi relates to Tracy's experience, discussing the challenge of judging others based on personal ambitions.

The Importance of Listening in Leadership

-Tracy discusses the importance of listening as a key leadership skill, emphasizing the need to seek understanding.

-Christi agrees, noting the common mistake of new managers who feel they need to set the scene and give directions.

-Tracy shares a story about holding weekly open calls during a company transition, highlighting the value of listening to team concerns.

-She recounts a specific example where a team's concern about a goose in the parking lot led to a positive outcome, illustrating the impact of listening.

Handling Tough Conversations and Feedback

-Tracy talks about the challenges of having tough conversations with senior leaders, sharing a story about a leader with a temper.

-She explains how providing feedback can lead to positive changes, even if it is initially met with resistance.

-Christi and Tracy discuss the importance of feedback as a gift, even if it is initially difficult to accept.

-Tracy shares her experience with a recent 360-degree feedback process, emphasizing the value of continuous learning and development.

Balancing Doing, Managing, and Leading

-Tracy advises leaders to assess where they are spending their time between doing, managing, and leading.

-She suggests using a simple exercise to track time spent in these areas and adjust accordingly.

-Tracy emphasizes the importance of regular one-on-one check-ins with team members to ensure open communication.

-Christi agrees, noting that reflecting on time allocation can help improve team performance and reduce dysfunction.

Final Thoughts on Leadership Journey

-Tracy concludes by emphasizing that leadership is a continuous journey, requiring continuous learning and self-improvement.

-She encourages leaders to help their teams learn and grow, which will lead to better results and a more fulfilling experience.

-The conversation ends with a mutual appreciation for the importance of effective leadership and continuous improvement.

Useful Links

Host: Christi's Web Page

Guest: TBD

Lighthouse NINE Group: Website

Contributors

Music: All The Fixings by Zachariah Hickman

Editing: tribe74